1. Social and Economic Reform in Britain
Ch. 11 Sec. 2
Social and Economic Reform in Britain

2. Series of Reforms 1833 - law passed banning slavery
Repeal Corn Laws
1850s - reduce the number of crimes punishable by death (capital punishment), end public hangings in 1868
Penal colonies created in British territories in Australia and New Zealand

3. Working conditions Parliament passed laws to:
Improve conditions in factories and mines
Minimum wage and maximum hours
Education act for free ed for all elementary children
legalized trade unions
Labour Party formed and became one of dominant parties in early 1900s

4. Women’s Suffrage
Emmaline Pankhurst - led suffragists towards a more drastic violent protest when peaceful efforts brought no results
Parliament finally granted the right to vote to women over 30

5. Irish Question Throughout 1800s the Irish resented British rule
Irish peasants lived in poverty
High rents to absentee landlords
Irish Catholics paid tithes to Church of England
Potato famine increased tensions
Parnell - one of several nationalist leaders
Pressed Parliament for home rule
Passed in 1914 but delayed because of WW I
finally became independent in 1921
Gladstone - stopped the tithes and protected Irish tenant farmers